“Should I Stay or Should I Go?”
The Business of Furniture - 11/02/16 Edition
Stephen Says Column

 Dear Stephen,

 I work as a salesperson at a major manufacturer. I am a local sales rep in a small city in the Midwest where I call on dealers and A&D firms. I have been in this job for quite a while (I am 33, for the record), and I’m good at it. I have consistently received good reviews from managers, and my sales numbers are excellent. I’m the industry’s local star. But I really think I’m ready to become the industry’s global star. I want to move to a big city with bigger players, start dealing with bigger accounts and eventually graduate into an executive-level role. I know I have it in me, and I want to begin that process now. Staying in this city is making me feel complacent. I’m itching to leave.
 
 As much as I’d love to drop everything and head to New York, I’m not sure it’s the best choice for me at this point. You see, the regional manager I report to is planning to retire soon, and I’m at the top of the list to replace her. The potential promotion sounds great, and I’m hoping that it would make my transition to a big city that much easier. The problem, though, is that it also means staying where I am for at least a couple more years. My company has treated me well, so I don’t want to leave right after being promoted — I don’t think that would be right. Is that the right thinking? Should I start my climb up the corporate ladder in a smaller city where I’m already established, or should I head to a big city now and make my bones there?
 
 Should I Stay or Should I Go?
 

 Dear Stay or Go,

 
 Ah, the age-old question of whether it’s better to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond. Of course, your answer (and the answer of most ambitious people) is that it’s best to be a big fish in a big pond. The question then becomes, what’s the best way to get there? The answer is that it depends on the person.
 
 On one hand, it is definitely a good plan to get your foot in the door and build relationships and a strong reputation within your company. This would be an argument for packing up and heading to a big city now. The truth is that the action happens in the bigger cities, so if you eventually want to be an executive, you will need to have executive-level connections and relationships, and these connections don’t exist in smaller towns.
 
 You can send your workplace questions to Stephen at: StephenSays@bellow.press.
 
 Questions selected to be answered, will appear in this column. Please use the Subject: Stephen Says for all emails. Stephen Viscusi is a bestselling author, television personality, and CEO of The Viscusi Group, global executive recruiters located in New York. Follow Stephen on Twitter @WorkplaceGuru. Like Stephen on Facebook, and follow him on Linkedin.